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Old 02-17-2021, 07:29 AM   #1
rames14
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Alaskan Ferry

We have delayed our next Alaskan trip twice already. With 2022 in sight, we are in planning mode. Our last trip we drove from Skagway to Haines. This trip we are looking at taking the ferry for that segment. Has anyone taken their fifth wheel on the ferry between these two cities? If so, what was your experience and approximate cost.
 
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Old 02-17-2021, 08:14 AM   #2
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Every time I've looked at Alaska/Ferry, it's like BOAT - BREAK 0UT ANOTHER THOUSAND.
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Old 02-17-2021, 09:08 AM   #3
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We took it in 2014, can't offer the price as we were with a Fantasy RV Tour. But I can tell you this, it loads from the side and we had a CrewCab Long Bed Dually and 40 foot Fifth Wheel, and we had to BACK down the Ramp as there was no way we could turn around once on board.
If you good with backing no problem, back straight down and make a 90 degree turn once inside the Ship.
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Old 02-18-2021, 10:13 AM   #4
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It is only 50 miles more driving to just take the highway. I searched and couldn't even find a ferry that took anything more than a 29 ft motorhome.
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Old 02-18-2021, 11:19 AM   #5
rames14
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Tom, you must have found a secret way to go. My map says 352 miles (which is what I remembered from our last trip there). Plus, two trips through Canadian crossings. The gal coming out of Skagway last time was not a nice person. It’s almost a 7 hour trip vs 46 miles and hour and a half by ferry. From what I read, loading at Skagway going to Haines is much easier.
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Old 02-18-2021, 11:52 AM   #6
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I used Scottie to beam me over. LOL
I goofed and went to Haines Junction instead of Haines. AFter a recalc. it was 500 miles total.
And 350 from Skagway to the Junction.
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Old 02-18-2021, 01:41 PM   #7
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I suspected that was what happened. We have never done the ferries there. We may do the fast ferry for a day trip to Juneau. We have planned this 3 years in a row now, and our kids keep putting up roadblocks - we’re having a baby, we’re getting married (other son), your oldest grandson is graduating. So, 2022 we will leave for Alaska from graduation.
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Old 02-18-2021, 11:00 PM   #8
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rames14. If you are interested, at Hyder AK and Stewart BC there is a national (US) forest or something that has a salmon/bear viewing platform about 100 yds long. It is about 6-10 feet high (advertised) but really more like 4-6. If you go during the salmon run, grizzles meander past in the stream below. The water is only 6-12 inches and the salmon splash like crazy trying to escape.
The only problem is getting there when the salmon are running. We missed it the first time, but went again and timed it to arrive in early August. Saw a different grizzly 2 nights in a row (rangers know them by name). Also, that route going west from Prince George is Fort St. James, a restored trapping fort with many buildings. Also, a park along the way I think at Smithers had a hike to a waterfall. Well worth it in my opinion.
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Old 02-19-2021, 09:21 AM   #9
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Tom, we loved Hyder. We enjoyed watching the bears there and it is on the list again this time. And Fort St. James was cool also.
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Old 02-19-2021, 12:25 PM   #10
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So you too are an experienced AK traveler!! I have been twice and the only thing I missed is Skagway, which I am told is pretty much like Dawson Creek (City? - the one by the dirt highway from CA to AK). Also the Kennicot mine (museum?). I watched the weather and vowed not to do it if raining or has recently rained or was forecast for rain. I tried going and coming the last trip and rain each time. 80 miles on a dirt road with occasional railroad spikes for tires is not for me when raining.
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Old 02-19-2021, 09:28 PM   #11
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We have been up north twice - cruise and RV. In 2014 we spent 95 days and 13,000 miles. We hit almost every city you could drive to from Fairbanks south. The last time we did not do Dawson City. We plan on doing that this trip. Skagway is unique. It is where the miners disembarked for the gold fields. From the White and Yukon railroad you can see where the miners literally wore a path into the rock. We are following much the same path with a few additions. We can save a travel day between Skagway and Haines. We really enjoyed Skagway and may take one day over to Juneau. We also would like to do a trip to Katmai and to the Arctic Circle. And with Super Solar on the new Montana, we will probably do more boondocking.

If you go back, the Kennicott mine is incredible. Gain some weight first, so that the mosquitoes don’t carry you away.
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Old 02-24-2021, 02:01 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rames14 View Post
We have delayed our next Alaskan trip twice already. With 2022 in sight, we are in planning mode. Our last trip we drove from Skagway to Haines. This trip we are looking at taking the ferry for that segment. Has anyone taken their fifth wheel on the ferry between these two cities? If so, what was your experience and approximate cost.
Haines had a floating doc and at low tide was a challenge getting into the ferry. No issue getting off at Skagway. Short trip and was not much money. Ferry left early in morning out of Haines got to Skagway before anything had opened.
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Old 02-24-2021, 05:44 PM   #13
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A ferry trip looks like fun, but rather expensive. We have traveled the highway a few times (lived in AK four years), and did the Cassiar as far as Whitehorse a couple years ago; ready to do that again. We also missed the bears at Hyder; we were there the last week of July and the salmon run was a little late.
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Old 02-24-2021, 08:10 PM   #14
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rames14 - We did a fly/drive from Fairbanks to Coldfoot. Flew up and rode in a van back. I think it was a late start and got home at 11pm or so. Cool trip. We got our pic taken stradling the arctic circle! Ate some wild blueberries (small and not sweet). Got to walk on Tundra. They say you can walk about 5 miles in a day on Tundra - very tricky trying to balance on the tufts of frozen grass, etc. Definitely go for it if you get a chance. (Actually after about 10 or 20 miles out of Fairbanks, the road is as smooth as a paved road!!!)
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Old 02-27-2021, 04:41 AM   #15
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If you get to Hyder, be sure to get yourself “Hyderized”. You get a card verifying time and date, that you have had the experience.
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Old 02-27-2021, 12:55 PM   #16
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Also check out the post office. Send yourself a post card; for .36 it leaves Hyder on a float plane to Juneau where it continues its journey.
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Old 02-28-2021, 04:11 PM   #17
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Just gotta throw this in, when we were in Hyder we had the best fresh fish and chips ever at a small school bus called "The Bus"... The owners husband and son are commercial fishermen and catch Halibut for the Bus restaurant everyday. We were there in August 2017.
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